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Yarn In The Works: Unwind for a Mama’s Knitting Night Out

Posted on 16 March, 2017 | By Katie Lavin

Post Category - What's OnWhat's On

Post Category - What's OnWhat's On

Knit me baby one more line

When I was asked recently if I had time for any hobbies, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Having just had a baby (okay, fine, it was almost 11 months ago) I still haven’t “mastered” the perfect work/family/play balance. Luckily, there are places like Yarn in the Works offering up flexible options for mamas looking to start a new hobby or pick up an old one.

Yarn in the Works, a shop and artistic space in Sheung Wan, has made knitting cool again. Gone are the days when knitting was reserved for grannies. Haven’t you heard, mamas? It’s all the rage now! Founded by Nicola Robb late last year, the welcoming space is tastefully overflowing with gorgeous yarn and immediately makes you wonder why you don’t already knit or crochet. Recently, I had the pleasure of checking out its weekly “Knit Night” sessions on Thursdays. The beauty of Knit Night is that it is free, flexible and welcoming(not to mention you can BYO wine and nibbles!). It also starts around 7 or so, which means I was able to do the bath and bed routine with my daughter before heading back out. Perfect!

Confession time: my knitting career peaked at 10 years old and I haven’t touched a pair of needles since. I was a little worried that I would be fumbling around on my own while everyone else effortlessly churned out professional level masterpieces. Thankfully I was wrong… there was a great group of regulars and newbies; even a couple that appeared to be on a date! I was taught how to cast on (basically how you get the yarn on the needles to start knitting) and then how to alternate rows of knitting and purling (pretty much a backwards version of the knit stitch). The only problem was that the learning process required my full attention, so it wasn’t easy to join the conversation without making a mistake or putting down my needles altogether. But by the end of the evening, I definitely got the hang of things.

I will absolutely be returning to Knit Night, and I also plan on attending one of its many workshops focusing on a single project or skill. Fingers crossed I will soon become good enough to warrant purchasing more of that fabulous yarn! If you fancy picking up a new hobby that’s not only therapeutic but results in a knitted creation, you definitely need to grab your girlfriends and head to Yarn in the Works for a knit night. Plus, a glass of vino and snacks? The best combo to the perfect night out, mamas!

Katie came to the 852 from New York City, where she worked for over a decade. She loves baseball, hot and sour soup, noodles in any form, and taking advantage of Hong Kong's proximity to bucket-list-worthy locales on trips with her husband and daughter. She is the Managing Director for Sassy Media Group's Hong Kong office.